Summilux Advise Needed

[Sailor Ted]

I’m on the cusp of selling my Noctilux and need a little advise- namely what can I expect from the Summilux 35mm (current version) and how will it differ from my 35mm Summicron non-asph. Also any ideas regarding asph vs the older Summilux versions are welcome.

Thanks in advance,
Ted

[pundit]

Here are some links of photos with the summilux: (quite a few off the R-D1)
http://www.pbase.com/leicamania/image/21801070
http://www.pbase.com/image/39765677
http://www.pbase.com/image/3919826
http://www.pbase.com/image/40191391
http://www.pbase.com/image/24317215
http://www.pbase.com/image/39830487
http://www.pbase.com/image/40218487
http://www.pbase.com/image/40197744
http://www.pbase.com/regit/image/47778181
http://www.pbase.com/image/38939760
http://www.pbase.com/image/38946714
http://www.pbase.com/image/5704064
http://www.pbase.com/image/39866208
http://www.pbase.com/leicamania/image/21868559
http://www.pbase.com/leicamania/image/21867942
http://www.pbase.com/image/40057363
http://www.pbase.com/image/40221053
http://www.pbase.com/image/40060044
http://www.pbase.com/image/39868631
http://www.pbase.com/image/40221416
http://www.pbase.com/image/40235488
http://www.pbase.com/image/40189641
http://www.pbase.com/image/39764940

Well you get the idea

and a review:

http://www.imx.nl/photosite/leica/mseries/testm/m2-35.html

Hope that helps.

[Nemo]

The Summilux 35/1.4 ASPH is much sharper. You must to see it!!!

[andrewch]

I have the Summilux ASPH, the Summicron V1 and I recently acquired the Summilux pre-ASPH from Kim Coxen. The Summilux ASPH has slightly higher macro and micro-contrast, and a more modern look in both colour and B&W. The f1.4 can be used with full confidence, but the downsize is its weight and size.

On the other hand, Summilux pre-asph is petite, with just about the same size as a pre-asph summicron. Like the summicron V1, it has medium contrast, which can be an asset when you use it on a digital rangefinder on a sunny day. It is a bit soft wide open, but comparable in sharpness to the Summicron when closed down. It does have an issue with flare when it is used wide open. It can handle strong on-axis light source reasonably well, but it has trouble with strong oblique light source that lies just outside the frame. But the flare will be gone if it is stopped down to f2. The bokeh is wonderful, and the softness at 1.4 can produce some dreamy effects.

Here it was used wide open:
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=52598&ppuser=990

And here stopped down a little:
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=52599&ppuser=990

They have different characters, but both are lovely.

Andrew

[Ben Z]

As a thought, what about the Voitlander 35/1.2? You could buy it, keep the 35 Cron for general use, and still have enough left over to cover all the IR filters beyond the 2 free ones ;) Or maybe keep the Noctilux too, so you won't end up paying an additional grand when you decide to repurchase one next year :D

[Flyfisher Tom]

The latest asph-lux will be bigger by 2x. This is a lens where 1.4 is very sharp. OOF dropoff is faster/steeper than the 35 pre-asph cron. Both are excellent lenses.

If you need 1.4 to be 100% sharp and consistent, get the lux-asph.